The Nationals scored seven runs in their game against the San Diego Padres last night. For most teams that would be fairly common. But not this team. Not the way things have been going recently.
The Nationals have been struggling to create offense for a few months now, and not just in the games started by Stephen Strasburg. Sure, the night was headlined by Adam Dunn's three home runs, but the nine hits the Nationals collected was truly a team effort. Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post helps put this outburst in perspective.
The Nationals have vowed they possess more firepower on offense than they've showed for most of this season. With the last two games coming against the pitching staff with the best ERA in the National League, the Nationals have scored at least five runs in four consecutive games for the first time since April 19.
Five runs in four straight games sounds like a lot, but there are a number of teams that will average that many over the course of the season.
Let's hear from the players themselves, starting with the always blunt Adam Dunn.
"Our offense," he said, "has been pretty much stinking it up."
I hate to agree with you, but yes, it has been. Josh Willingham echoes the sentiment.
"It's good for us to have a couple good games where we've knocked the ball around a little bit," Josh Willingham said. "We haven't knocked the ball around a whole lot lately."
This streak could provide a valuable spark heading into the second half, or they could go scoreless in every game before the break and it will have all been for naught. Either way, at least they're heading in the right direction.